Since officially making New York City her home base approximately one year ago, Mathilde Thomas, founder of French skin care brand Caudalie, has come to understand how deeply embedded the instant gratification ethos lies in the psyche of the American woman. Truth be told, in the world of real-time status updates, Foursquare check-ins, streaming live concerts, and news tickers, most women approach their skin care needs with the a Veruca Salt-like petulance, practically screaming, “I want it now! I want it all!” If they’re plagued by the dark spots on their complexions, they demand an even skin tone immediately. The problem? The human body doesn’t function at warped speed. Cells will regenerate, wounds shall heal, hair and fingernails will grow, and pigmented spots will fade, but all these processes tend to take time — even when we speed them along with targeted natural botanicals or chemical agents. So how do you help women attain the radiant, even-toned complexions they desire, while also providing them with instantly visible results?

The most revolutionary ingredient in the Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid is viniferine, an isolated molecule extracted from grape vine sap. Discovered by Caudalie expert Dr. Joseph Vercauteren, viniferine was found to be four times more effective than vitamin C and twice as powerful as kojic acid at brightening skin and eliminating dark spots thanks to its high concentration of antioxidants and its ability to regulate tyrosinase, an enzyme found inside melanosomes, organelles that contain melanin and can lead to dark spots when exposed to UV rays. Viniferine is combined with a papaya enzyme complex that sloughs off dead skin cells to reveal new layers of skin and yield an immediate glow, softens the complexion, controls oil production. Together, these two antioxidant-rich ingredients boost cell renewal and contribute to more even skin tone.

Extracts of Enantia Chlorantha and Rhus Semialata, two trees from the African and Asian Equatorial, regulate sebum production, keeping skin matte and diminishing the probability of acne breakouts, while also tightening pores for a more refined skin texture. The UVA and UVB filters in the formula, meanwhile, protect skin from future hardships — after all, the sun’s rays tend to be the main factor in both skin aging and hyperpigmentation.

As an added benefit, this ultra-light lotion smells like the leaves in a citrus grove, with notes of green mandarin, sweet orange and peppermint.

The lotion looks like a golden nude shade when you squeeze it out of the tube, but don’t panic if the shade doesn’t look like it will match yours — as soon as you smooth it onto the skin, it will be completely clear (save for the luminizing pearl beads, which have a very subtle golden tint). Not only does the lotion feel and smell terrific, but it delivers that coveted lit-from-within glow while also providing long-term benefits. Within four weeks of using this product, my skin looked considerably more even, with some of my peskier dark spots practically vanishing altogether.